February is not just about chocolate and flowers, but about celebrating something so much more, and that is Black History Month, where for 28 days the contributions of African-Americans to America is celebrated by the nation. And there is much to celebrate. America would not be what it is today if African-Americans had not made any contributions to this country. Things like art, music, food, science, and the fabric of our own society has been influenced by African-Americans. But some people feel like Black History Month should no longer exist. Now, this sounds crazy and like something that might have come from a certain person’s overused Twitter account (cough cough). But, while this may very well be the rhetoric of some privileged and bigoted people who think that the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s was a step back in society, others hold this idea for a very different, and understandable, reason.
Now, what could be this understandable reason, you may ask? Well, the logic behind this view is that black history should be celebrated every day, not just for 28, or 29, days. Because black history is American history, and should be treated as such. The supporters of this concept believe that it allows white, err, Euro-Americans to turn a blind eye to the contributions of African-Americans to this society for the rest of the year, and promotes further segregation. Basically, why should respect be told to be shown for one month, when it should be shown year-round. And these people aren’t wrong. We should show each other respect every day, no matter the color of our skin, or anything else for that matter. And yes, Black History Month has led to some places focusing on the achievements of black people for just that allotted time, no more, no less. Many of American history books don’t even cover the topics talked about during February, and if they do, it almost always only about the main three people, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X, and that is usually it. There is, as always, another side against this idea. Imagine, being against the idea that black history deserves more than the customary nod that some feel this month has become, thereby continuing to allow white people to ignore the fact that African-Americans shaped our world today. Well, there is.
Many people believe that Black History Month should not be abolished, for many different reasons. One, many believe that it pays tribute to the many important historical leaders in the black community, and that doing away with this month would take away from them. Two, that this helps to remind everyone both of how far our society has come, and how far our society still has to go. That Black History Month makes us remember that it was not so long ago that the idea that a person of color and a white person being allowed to go to the same school, same restaurant, or even use the same water fountain, was insane, and should not be allowed ever. Now, there is more to that second reason than meets the eye, and that is the second part. ‘How far our society still has to go.’ This is a topic that many people don’t like to discuss, but that reason alone is why it must. Our society still has many issues with race that needs to be addressed. Sure, we may not be seeing ‘Whites Only’ sign over the bathroom anymore, but racism is still prevalent today. Just looking at the last two years is enough to prove that. People in prison are statistically higher to be a minority than to be white, and the people in the middle to upper class are prevalently white. Which, one would think, might give the idea that Black History Month should be dismantled in order for it to be celebrated all year more relevant. But many people do not believe that that would be the case. They instead believe that this would reverse the progress that has been made by African-Americans, and other minorities too. That losing this month of celebration would allow black history to be completely expunged from the books.
Personally, I believe in the later, but whatever way this article has led you to feel, or what side of the fence you might be on with this topic, I hope you all realize just how important black history is, and that without it, our world would be highly different. So remember, just because a single month is dedicated to something, does not mean that it should not be celebrated the 365 other days of the year!
Works Cited
Gill, J. C. (2015, February 10). Let’s Get Rid of Black History Month. Retrieved February 13, 2018, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/joel-christian-gill/lets-get-rid-of-black…
Tisby, J., Hudson, A., Amotsuka, D., Forde, C. M., Campbell, L., & Henry, B. (2018, January 31). 5 Reasons You Should Celebrate Black History Month. Retrieved February 13, 2018, from https://thewitnessbcc.com/5-reasons-you-should-celebrate-black-history-m…
Why I’m Against Black History Month. (2017, August 27). Retrieved February 13, 2018, from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/why-im-against-black-history-month